I have always been a strong believer in the power of humor. One of my recent “humorous” Amazon reviews actually made it as one of the top 8 funniest reviews for Mizuno’s Pink Tennis Shoes. Check it out here:
Condensed Version Please? I Don’t Have All Minute!
Let’s face it, consumers are “time-compressed” nowadays. Many consumers belong to several different social media sites and desire a way to catch up on all the days events without spending too much time searching through endless amounts of information. High quality information provided in a condensed manner will result in very satisfied web surfer.
So, How Do I Get Their Attention?
Example: I’m am an office worker and I get a :30 minute lunch break. During my lunch break, I want to get a mental break from work by catching-up on as much news and social media content that I can in the time allotted. How are you, as a marketer, going to capture my attention so that I feel that I have used my free time efficiently?
More content, less fluff!
Vendor Seek gives a great breakdown of how to gain the attention of your audience:
Making advertising relatable
Your ads should feature situations they can relate to, people who look and act like them, and realistic and desirable outcomes.
Making advertisements pleasurable
People find humor pleasurable; everyone likes to laugh. Advertisers think of clever ways to integrate humor with their products and services. Again, not everyone will share the same sentiments regarding what is funny. Know your target market. There may be certain scenarios they would consider funny based on their likenesses.
Making advertisements surprising
Eccentricity is closely related to the concept of novelty. ‘Strange’ is also ‘new’ to most. In advertising, we attempt to orchestrate novel and riveting images to demand attention. The element of surprise captivates consumer attention, and keeps their attention long enough until the ad features hosted services and products.
Combine the three tips above with an engaging message and you’ve got yourself the start of something wonderful!
Look To Kmart
Kmart just stepped out with a new marketing message that is relatable, humorous, and eccentric and is relayed in a message :36 seconds long.
That leaves the average worker another 29 minutes and :24 seconds to spare.
Check out Kmart’s Ship My Pants Commercial:
I Work Better When I Surf The Internet. Really!
Give them an excuse and they will use it! “Good news for web surfing junkies. And their bosses. New research has revealed that workers who surf the net on their lunch break are likely to be more productive in the afternoon than peers who rested away from their computer screens. The study, “Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological Engagement,” by Don J.Q. Chen and Vivien K.G Lim of the National University of Singapore, was presented last week in San Antonio, Texas, at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management”- The Periscope Post
Lastly, If All Else Fails, Remember to Kiss It!
Remember, in today’s internet jungle, you need to grab the consumer attention for as long as you can. This is where I recommend that marketing strategists utilize the K.I.S.S concept: keep it simple, stupid! Media offered in the form of a short, sweet, entertaining message will most likely grab the attention of the consumer, at least for a few seconds. And, if you’re message is good, that’s all you’ll need.
Honorable mentions:
What the fluff [image]: www.ashtarcommandcrew.net
The Periscope Post: http://www.periscopepost.com/2011/08/the-benefits-of-cyberloafing-lunch-break-web-surfing-refreshes-workers-boosts-their-productivity/
K.I.S.S. [image]: http//www.forgecommunications.com
Internet Minute [image]: http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/images/illustrations/embedded-infographic-600-logo.jpg
60 Seconds [image]: http://manjgura.hr/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/internet-1-minute-large1.jpg
Vendor Seek: http://www.vendorseek.com/how-to-get-attention-with-advertising.asp
A Case For Allowing Social Media At Work [image]: http://rikigarcia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Surfing-the-internet-at-work.jpg
Dilbert Marketing [image]: http://thethinkingfrog.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/dilbert-gets-a-social-media-manager1.gif
Hello My Name Is [image]: http://goleftmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/who-we-are-main-image-sized.jpg
Eccentric Marketing [image]: http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/8400000/Emilie-Autumn-eccentric-and-unique-people-8496880-511-732.jpg
Two and a Half Cents 